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Todd Wassel
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Walking in Circles: Finding Happiness in Lost Japan (Round Earth Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Todd Wassel (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 out of 5 stars 295 ratings
Far from the lights of Tokyo. A 1,200 year old pilgrimage. A life changed forever.
Guided by a wandering ascetic hiding from the Freemasons; naked Yakuza; a scam artist pilgrim; and a vengeful monk, Walking in Circles is a fun, inspirational travel memoir set in a Japan few outsiders ever get to see.

Award-winning writer Todd Wassel draws on over twenty years in Japan to retell his epic journey through the contradictions of a contemporary yet traditional Japan while trying to overcome the barriers to happiness modern life throws up.

Over half a decade after first landing in Japan Todd is lost, unable to go home, or move forward. Convinced there is more to life, he risks everything to return to the one place he found answers years before: the ancient Shikoku Henro pilgrimage. Walking the 750-mile henro path, sleeping outside each night, Todd is armed with only a Japanese map and the people he meets along the way.

Can he find what he's looking for before the path, or his new friends, break him?
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  1. Book 1 of 1
    Round Earth
  2. Print length
    292 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    July 20, 2020
  5. File size
    3.2 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Japanese culture beyond the usual Tokyo-centric focus. Wassel's ability to both entertain and educate makes Walking in Circles a highly recommended read.--D. Donovan, Midwest Book Review

Wassel brings a bold new voice to travel writing. WALKING IN CIRCLES not only succeeds by immersing the reader in an experience few people get to have in person, but he also shares his own personal story that makes this a story of self-exploration that anyone can relate to.--Alex Dolan, author of The Euthanist

A great travelogue should offer three different types of exploration: into a particular time abroad, into the author's brain, and also, most profoundly, into our own psyche. Todd Wassel's adventures in Japan delivers on each criteria with gusto. A sure-footed, special book.--Gordon Peake, author of Beloved Land: stories, struggles and secrets from Timor-Leste

Possibly one of the most interesting books on the pilgrimage.--David Billa, Setouchi Explorer

You won't be able to put this book down!--★★★★★ Amazon Review

I LOVE this book. It's about walking, Japanese culture and LIFE. Full of good tips and loaded with humor. --★★★★★ Good Reads Review

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08CXHR76X
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Jizo Press (July 20, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 20, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.2 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 292 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 295 ratings

About the author

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Todd Wassel

Todd Wassel

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I took a short trip to Japan over 20 years ago and kept going. I've now spent more of my life living aboard than I did growing up in the US.

During the day I run international aid projects that hopefully make the world a nicer place. In the early mornings and late evenings I'm either writing, walking or relaxing on a porch, preferably with a drink and a view. I'm a sucker for strong coffee, adventures, and friends who pretend they haven't heard all of my stories.

WALKING IN CIRCLES is my debut book, but I've written in other back alleyways too. I write regularly on my website ToddWassel.com. I won the People’s Choice Award in the Southeast Asia Travel Writing Competition and have been featured in Lonely Planet, the Diplomat and ABC Australia. Not to mention the thousands of family photo albums I must be a part of by now!

I've worked in and traveled to more than 45 countries. I started out teaching English in Japan for over half a decade, was a conflict and mediation advisor in Timor-Leste, a human rights advocate in Sri Lanka, and a hiking consultant in Kosovo. Yes, there are degrees that make you qualified to do all of those things!

I've has seen the sun rise over Machu Pichu and from the top of Mount Fuji, dived the reefs of the Maldives, Indonesia and Thailand, honeymooned in Bosnia and Herzegovina, danced for days at weddings in India, and walked the 750-mile pilgrimage to the 88 temples of Shikoku Japan, twice.

I currently live near the banks of the Mekong river in Vientiane, Laos with my wife and two small kids. We split our time between Laos, Japan and the US.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
295 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book engaging and entertaining, with excellent writing and a good sense of humor. Moreover, the book provides great insight into Japanese culture, with one customer noting its well-drawn travel descriptions. Additionally, customers appreciate the book's authenticity, with one review highlighting how it authentically introduces people, and another noting its honest approach.

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19 customers mention "Readability"19 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and delightful to read, with one customer noting it serves as a great escape from everyday news.

"...This book is a beautiful, well-written, addictive story about a pilgrimage through Japan, visiting 88 + temples and collecting both adventures and..." Read more

"I loved and enjoyed this book. A candid and intimate memoir and non-preachy spirituality travelogue and self discovery journal...." Read more

"...I learned a lot and enjoyed the journey. I did read the book to know more about this particular pilgrimage because I'm considering doing it myself...." Read more

"...The spiritual journey is also well-described...." Read more

18 customers mention "Insight"18 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's insights into Japanese culture, with one customer noting its well-drawn travel descriptions and another highlighting its grounding in language knowledge.

"...book is a beautiful, well-written, addictive story about a pilgrimage through Japan, visiting 88 + temples and collecting both adventures and life..." Read more

"I loved and enjoyed this book. A candid and intimate memoir and non-preachy spirituality travelogue and self discovery journal...." Read more

"...A combination travelogue and spiritual diary, the author is drawn back to Shikoku, the most rural of Japan’s four main islands, to repeat the eighty-..." Read more

"...pilgrimage, the people he met along the way, his views on Buddhism, faith, healing self (body, mind, spirit), the soulful description of Japan then..." Read more

10 customers mention "Beauty"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book beautiful, with one review noting its vivid illustrations and another mentioning its succinctly evocative sentences.

"...This book is a beautiful, well-written, addictive story about a pilgrimage through Japan, visiting 88 + temples and collecting both adventures and..." Read more

"...The last sentence of Chapter 11 is one the most beautiful and succinctly evocative sentences I have read...." Read more

"...This book captured me in its descriptions of the natural setting as well as with Wassel's thoughtful interpretation of Japanese attitudes about a..." Read more

"...With each page he is beautifully honest, open, thoughtful, kind, reflective, contemplative, and his humor had me laughing out loud so often...." Read more

9 customers mention "Writing style"9 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, describing it as excellent, with one customer noting the author's strong voice.

"...This book is a beautiful, well-written, addictive story about a pilgrimage through Japan, visiting 88 + temples and collecting both adventures and..." Read more

"I really liked this book. The author has a strong voice and a good sense of humor about himself and his foibles...." Read more

"...What a nice guy! I love Wassel's writing style...." Read more

"...one can communicate in Japanese, with engaging, entertaining, insightful writing...." Read more

6 customers mention "Humor"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's good sense of humor.

"...The author’s sense of humor and humility and understanding of Japanese culture make reading this book a joy...." Read more

"I really liked this book. The author has a strong voice and a good sense of humor about himself and his foibles...." Read more

"...is also so clearly his own--and such an engaging, sincere, and funny account--that you might not immediately notice echoes of "The Canterbury Tales."..." Read more

"...open, thoughtful, kind, reflective, contemplative, and his humor had me laughing out loud so often...." Read more

4 customers mention "Honesty"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's honesty.

"..." but the story is also so clearly his own--and such an engaging, sincere, and funny account--that you might not immediately notice echoes of "The..." Read more

"...I love Wassel's writing style. With each page he is beautifully honest, open, thoughtful, kind, reflective, contemplative, and his humor had me..." Read more

"...Wassel's account was honest and not overly romantic or spiritual...." Read more

"A vivid and honest memoir - I loved it...." Read more

3 customers mention "Authenticity"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the authenticity of the book, with one review noting how the author introduces people in an authentic way, while another mentions how recognizable the quest and struggles are to readers.

"...in many ways so very different from my own, yet also recognizable in both quest and struggles, and an “insiders view” of Japan... each of which we..." Read more

"Loved this book and the gentle and authentic way Todd introduced the people that came and went in his journey...." Read more

"...from adventure to finding yourself to meeting and appreciating unique individuals." Read more

Captivating, entertaining and culturally intriguing
5 out of 5 stars
Captivating, entertaining and culturally intriguing
Bought the book since I am considering embarking on the pilgrimage myself and wanted a sneak peek into what awaits. Didn’t expect to actually enjoy the read; however, I found myself deeply entertained by the gifted story telling. This book is a great read!
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Sheryl Nantus
    5.0 out of 5 stars You won't be able to put this book down!
    Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I've always dreamed of visiting Japan, but as time goes on it seems to be less and less likely - and doing a pilgrimage seems almost impossible. This book is a beautiful, well-written, addictive story about a pilgrimage through Japan, visiting 88 + temples and collecting both adventures and life experiences along the way. Mr. Wassel weaves a magical picture of the journey, from the blisters on his feet to the dangers of traveling alone to the thoughtful and pensive moments spent not only at the temples along the way, but at the various rest stops.
    I wasn't able to put this book down, feeling like I was traveling along the same path and unwilling to pause in sharing in the adventure. The only thing I believe the book could have used is more photographs of the various temples, something I'll be looking up on my own to complete the beautiful images in my mind.
    This appears to be the first in a series, and I can't wait for the next book - excellent writing and an eye for description makes this a must-have for anyone looking for a virtual pilgrimage or just a darned fine read!
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Zen Nomad
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great book
    Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I loved and enjoyed this book. A candid and intimate memoir and non-preachy spirituality travelogue and self discovery journal. The author’s sense of humor and humility and understanding of Japanese culture make reading this book a joy.
    The last sentence of Chapter 11 is one the most beautiful and succinctly evocative sentences I have read. I also learned to be extra careful selecting a yakitori restaurant in Japan.
    Helpful
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  • ZuQu
    5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful travel journal
    Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I really liked this book. The author has a strong voice and a good sense of humor about himself and his foibles. He deftly weaves his personal journey with insights about Japanese culture and relevant historical information. I learned a lot and enjoyed the journey. I did read the book to know more about this particular pilgrimage because I'm considering doing it myself. However, because he chose to "sleep rough" for most of the journey, his experiences are more extreme (and sometimes dangerous) than I hope I will encounter. It has almost scared me off the walk! (But not completely!) But I would still recommend it for anyone considering this pilgrimage, or for anyone who likes good travel writing.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Lawrence J. Budner
    5.0 out of 5 stars Made me feel like I was walking with him through rural Japan.
    Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed the advance review copy of the book tremendously. I was a serious Buddhist meditator for a decade, and I’ve booked my first trip to Japan this fall, so I was looking forward to reading this pilgrimage account. A combination travelogue and spiritual diary, the author is drawn back to Shikoku, the most rural of Japan’s four main islands, to repeat the eighty-eight temple pilgrimage route he had travelled as a young man. This time, he is feeling stuck in his life, indecisive as to how to move forward, and hoping for some clarity by the end of the journey.

    The travel descriptions are well-drawn, especially his encounters with other pilgrims and assorted locals. We get a glimpse of the range of Japanese types: not only the smiling girls and harried salarymen from Tokyo, but also the cranky rural types, homeless men, alienated youths, and even yakuza mobsters, as well as some surprisingly kind people who appear when least expected.

    The spiritual journey is also well-described. Like all of us (especially Westerners), we start the journey expecting to get something, achieve something, and to make ourselves into something closer to our ideal. Over time, the author begins to realize that progress on the spiritual path is more about letting things go, accepting ourselves and our circumstances, and being more kind and loving towards others.

    The book successfully evokes the sense of traveling with a purpose: knowing that something of value is hidden in the place, not knowing exactly what or how to find it, but confident (mostly) that it will be found. It is well worth the time.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Justa Reader
    5.0 out of 5 stars The sacred and the profane: this is why pilgrimage narratives endure
    Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Todd Wassel draws on enduring motifs of pilgrimage narratives in "Walking in Circles" but the story is also so clearly his own--and such an engaging, sincere, and funny account--that you might not immediately notice echoes of "The Canterbury Tales." Yet the classic stuff is all in there, from the unexpected moments of sudden clarity to the dreariness of being trapped in a conversation with a sex addict.

    Along the way, a story of self-discovery definitively of its time: caught between his distaste for the lives his professional peers have built for themselves and his envy of them, Wassel also evinces a contemporary preoccupation--without obviously naming it--with authenticity. A pilgrimage, of course, is among the clearest of options for reconciling personal authenticity (being true to thine own self, let's say) and a desire to seek out authentic experience (walking as the truest form of the pilgrimage, engaging only in Japanese) that the average backpacker might only dream of. In many ways, that reconciliation--ironic and surprising, as it unfolds across the narrative--is at the heart of the book.

    "Walking in Circles" is, finally, also wonderful just for its insider-outsider insight into Japanese culture. That Wassel's conflicted relationship to Japan echoes his own conflicted relationship to his own culture's expectations of adulthood . . . well, that's also part of the genius and the fun.
    3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Joanne
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great companion to have in life
    Reviewed in Canada on March 19, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I can relate all too well with the author; Returning to my home country after living in Japan, but unfortunately feeling lost and jaded as I tried to find my place in what society defines as "normal." Even though I didn't physically walk the pilgrimage, I felt like I did (at least mentally) by the end of this book. You become friends with not only the author, but the people he had met along the way as well. You laugh and struggle together with him. If you lived in Japan for a bit, you become incredibly nostalgic as he writes about not only the frustrations he faced as a foreigner, but also the kindness he received that you can only get in Japan. I am really happy to have found this book. I'm sure I'll be reading this more than once to remind myself to keep moving forward, putting one foot in front of the other.
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent tale of adventure in Shikoku, Japan
    Reviewed in Australia on February 7, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I thoroughly enjoyed this book about travels in Shikoku. I was unaware of the significance of the pilgrimage, having only become aware of it while on a cycle trip in Shikoku. The book describes what a great travel destination Shikoku is, and interesting encounters with fellow travellers on the pilgrimage route.
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  • Robert Fear
    5.0 out of 5 stars Well-written and thought-provoking
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 4, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This was a fascinating read. It tells of Todd Wassel’s month-long pilgrimage around the Japanese island of Shikoku in 2005, seven years after he had first walked the route aged 21. He returns to the 1200-year-old Henro pilgrimage in search of answers. During his quest he aims to visit the 88 designated temples, and others not included in the official count. Quite a challenge in such a brief space of time!

    Well-written and thought-provoking, this book includes wonderful descriptions of the scenery and the challenges he faces locating a place to sleep each night. It also provides great characterisations of the intriguing characters he meets along the way. These include disturbing discoveries about the Japanese people and what lies beneath their normal conservative exterior.

    Does Todd unearth the answers he is looking for? Read the book to find out, but his conclusions are not what he expected at the outset.
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  • Juno
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Adventure Book
    Reviewed in Japan on July 29, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This book is fantastic! It is a beautiful journey through both Shikoku and the writer's mind. Living in rural Japan myself, I could really relate to and understand the scenery around him, relating that to my own experiences here. Initially I was drawn to the book because I enjoy shrine signature collecting (in the book they are collected from temples but "shrine signature" is a common translation), but the journey of self discovery and discovery of Japan really drew me in. Since completing the book I've actually read it a second time, and will probably read it again. Hopefully I can complete the pilgrimage myself someday, but it will definitely take some planning. It's a really fantastic travel adventure book and I highly recommend reading it if you are into such books.
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  • Ciaran
    4.0 out of 5 stars Pleasant book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 10, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I liked this book fir the most part. Having been to Japan as a tourist I wanted to read a book from a person off the beaten trail. That is exactly what this book it. You learn a lot about the author, Japanese thinking, and even about yourself.

    The book didnt manage to maintain its initial excitement for me. It fell off towards the end and I found myself wishing that there was more meat in each chapter. If you are looking an adventure with tension and excitement, this is not that book. However if you are looking something more akin to a relaxing, spiritual and meditative book, this will work well for you!
    Report

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